Women’s Centre wants sex offenders’ registry public

The head of the Women’s Centre of Jamaica Foundation is throwing her support behind growing calls for Jamaica’s sex offenders’ registry to be opened to the public, arguing that communities have a right to know when convicted sexual predators are living among them.

While acknowledging that such a move could expose innocent people to devastating consequences if mistakes are made, she believes the potential to protect children and other vulnerable citizens far outweighs the risks. The issue has taken on renewed urgency following the brutal rape and murder of 10-year-old Shanai Coke in Trelawny earlier this week. The man accused of the crime, Delroy Coke, had previously been convicted of sexual offences and had a history of arrests involving children and sexual violence. His release from prison less than a year ago has reignited public outrage and renewed demands for greater transparency surrounding convicted sex offenders.

In response to the tragedy, the Government has announced that it will review the country’s approach to monitoring sex offenders, with National Security and Peace Minister Dr Horace Chang signalling that legislative and policy changes are under consideration.

“As a Ministry, we will actively review and pursue mechanisms to effectively manage how we deal with sex offenders. Decisive action will be taken, and the team has been directed to continue to undertake work in this regard,” Chang said.

Speaking with THE WEEKEND STAR, Executive Director of the Women’s Centre of Jamaica Foundation, Novlette Howell, said making the registry publicly accessible could become one of the country’s strongest crime prevention tools.

She argued that convicted offenders would think twice before returning to familiar communities if they knew residents could easily identify them.

“The general view is that it could act as a deterrent,” Howell said. “The residents themselves would have access to information, something to utilise when they see strange persons coming within their neighbourhood. It can be very protective.”

She believes the impact would be especially meaningful in rural communities where residents often depend heavily on one another for security.

“It’s a rural space, so they could huddle amongst themselves because they themselves, knowing, could find additional security to protect their children and older family members.” she said.

According to Howell, public awareness would encourage communities to be more vigilant rather than living in ignorance.

However, she stressed that opening the registry without robust legal protections could create another form of injustice. She warned that if an innocent person were mistakenly listed or wrongly linked to a sexual offence, the damage could be irreversible.

“Someone can be smeared once their name appears on the list and they may not even be guilty,” she cautioned. “That is what I fear.”

Howell also acknowledged concerns surrounding the rights of offenders who have completed their prison sentences and undergone rehabilitation. Public disclosure, she noted, could make it difficult for them to rebuild their lives while also exposing their relatives to harassment or violence simply because of their association.

“If they go into the communities, they take set on them once they know that they are affiliated with rape. Even though they may not do anything, they can be targeted, and that really can have an impact on anybody. Family members can be targeted as well.”

Despite those concerns, Howell maintained that protecting children must remain the country’s highest priority.

“It is a high risk, but I think it would help more than it would harm,” she said.

Howell acknowledged that making the registry public also carries significant risks if people are wrongly identified or falsely associated with sexual offences.

“That’s very difficult because, as you know, persons would get on to the registry and probably didn’t even do the act, so it is hard. That means the Government would have to put in additional measures to protect those persons. It requires additional information among government agencies, developing policies and also legislation.”